After testing the effects of the Equuleus Bronze Cloth, Marco didn't linger at home.
He headed out to the Fairy Tail guild.
Marco's daily routine revolved around three places: home, the guild, and the forest—resting at home, training at the guild and exploring the forest.
Having already visited the forest early that morning, he planned to spend the afternoon training at the guild.
His home wasn't far from the guild, just a few streets away.
From the window of his third-floor room, he could even see the Fairy Tail guild's signboard directly.
After all, this was the guild master's residence—naturally, it wouldn't be too far from the guild.
The streets of Magnolia were clean and tidy, with architecture straight out of a Western-style light novel.
The cobblestone roads were lined with neat rows of stalls, ranging from well-established shops to simple street-side vendors.
The foot traffic was decent, with the lively clamor of merchants filling the air.
"Uncle drou, how's business today?"
"Aunt kelly, is my new outfit ready?"
"Big sis, I'd like to buy a bouquet."
Walking down Magnolia's streets, soaking in the bustling atmosphere, Marco cheerfully greeted the local vendors.
He walked this path daily and had long since become familiar with everyone.
The merchants warmly responded in kind.
This street was one of Magnolia's livelier commercial districts, hosting all kinds of shops and stalls—almost like a marketplace.
Just a short walk from Marco's home, many of the long-time vendors and shopkeepers here had watched him grow up.
Compared to Laxus who had gradually gone astray, Marco had always been steady in character and was well-liked by everyone.
He had grown up surrounded by kindness.
"Here you go, little Marco. Thank you."
Lily, the flower girl in tattered clothes, smiled at him, her freckled face brightening as she picked out a vibrant bouquet of roses and handed it to Marco.
Every day, whenever she came, Marco would buy a bouquet of flowers from her.
Lily knew the boy just wanted to help her sell out faster.
"Hey kid, heading to the guild? Catch!"
The fruit shop owner nearby called out to Marco and tossed him an apple, his face beaming with a smile.
"Hey! Thanks, old man!"
Marco caught the apple with his hand—bright red and mouthwatering just to look at.
He took a crisp bite, then flashed a thumbs-up at the vendor with a smile, offering generous praise.
As Makarov's grandson and a member of the Fairy Tail guild, Marco naturally held some fame in this city.
After all, Fairy Tail was the only Mage guild in Magnolia—and a prestigious one at that.
Ranked among the top in the entire Fiore Kingdom, Fairy Tail had practically become one of the city's symbols.
The guild's prominence was evident just from its location.
The Fairy Tail guildhall stood right at the heart of Magnolia.
Holding the flower in one hand and munching on the apple with the other, Marco bid farewell to the enthusiastic vendors.
After crossing several streets, he finally arrived at the entrance of the Fairy Tail guildhall.
The guildhall was massive, surrounded by a perimeter wall.
Inside stood a three-story castle-like building, emblazoned with the large words "Fairy Tail" and adorned with the guild's emblem—a fiery, tail-like crest.
Every member of Fairy Tail bore this emblem, a mark of their identity as Mages of the guild.
Marco had one too—a pure black crest on his left shoulder, highly visible whenever he wore sleeveless clothes or went shirtless.
Stepping into the courtyard, Marco entered the guildhall.
The front doors were wide open, with no guards in sight.
Anyone who wished to enter could simply walk in.
At its core, guilds like Fairy Tail were essentially job agencies for Mages.
Guild members earned rewards by taking on quests posted on the job boards.
Naturally, such a place didn't restrict outsiders.
On the contrary, it welcomed visitors, even employing staff specifically to assist clients posting requests.
As soon as Marco stepped through the doors, the clamor of voices reached his ears.
The first floor of the guildhall was a bustling common area, open to all members for accepting jobs, dining and other daily activities.
Rows of tables and chairs, a bar-like counter and several job boards plastered with requests—this floor truly had the vibe of a 'quest hall' where Fairy Tail's Mages gathered.
The second floor was reserved for high-difficulty quests, accessible only to S-Class Mages.
As for the basement, entry was restricted solely to past and present guild masters.
"Marco, I heard you knocked out the new kid? Is it true? What, were you teaching him a lesson?"
No sooner had Marco entered than someone noticed him—a blue-haired man in a white coat, grinning as he spoke.
The guy was well-informed, already aware of Natsu's knockout.
Although the first-floor hall of the guild building was open to anyone, the mages of Fairy Tail who stayed in the guild remained vigilant of the people coming and going.
They certainly didn't want to see anyone causing trouble inside the guild hall.
"Uncle Macao, don't say it like that. We were just sparring normally. The way you put it makes me sound like some kind of bully who picks on newcomers."
Marco rolled his eyes and replied irritably to the blue-haired man.
"Uncle?! I'm not even thirty yet, you brat!"
Macao Conbolt clutched his head, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.
He believed he was still in the prime of his youth—definitely not an uncle!
"Hahaha, calling you 'uncle' isn't wrong. You're twenty-nine, about to hit thirty and aren't you about to become a dad soon anyway?"
Beside Macao Conbolt, Wakaba Mine, sporting a brown pompadour and puffing on a pipe, laughed loudly as he spoke.
"What are you laughing at?! You're the same! You're already an uncle too!"
Macao Conbolt immediately shot back.
After just a few words, the two were already grappling and exchanging blows.
"..."
Marco covered his face in exasperation, refusing to watch the two clowns.
Even when he was very young, Macao and Wakaba had always been like this.
He was long used to this kind of daily routine.